Automobile signaling device



ug 23, 1932- A. w. REYNOLDS AUTOMOBILE SIGNA-LING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, '1932 Fly) INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y "lllll r r avvii!!! Patented Aug. 23, 1932 PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR W. REYNOLDS, Uf' LEONARDSVILLE, NEW YORK AirronoBrLE SIGNALING DEVICE VApplication yfiled January 29, 1932. Serial No. 589,562.

This invention relates to vehicle direction signaling means, such as are adapted to be attached to an automobile and to be manually operated, whereby the driver ofthe vehicle may indicate the direction the vehicle is to take.

The object of the invention is to produce a novel form of Vsignaling means which is simple in construction and can be inexpensively manufactured and sold at a price within reach of all automobile users.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signaling device f that can bel conveniently and quickly attached to and detached from the top edge portion of the movable glass, in the door of an automobile adjacent to the drivers seat, in a manner to 'permit the glass to be.. shoved up to a near closed position, and to providemeans whereby the driver Vmay'conveniently operate the signal from time to time as occasion mayrequire, and likewise see that the device is properly functioning.

My invention is further constructed so as to be noticeably displayed from the side of the car whereby the drivers intention of stopping or turning to the right or left can be readily determined by the drivers of cars following or approaching, and furthermore to include reiiecting means sol that the signaling device can be readily seen at night, and the direction of turning also plainly indicated at night.

With these and otherV objects in view, as will hereinafterA appear, my invention resides and consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter described in detail and more particularly set forthin the accompanying claims', reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing and to the characters of referencemarked thereon which form a part of this specification and-in which Fig. 1 shows aV side elevation of the front portion of an automobile illustrating my improved signaling device applied to the top edge of the glass ofthe front left side door thereof; 'i s Y* Fig. 2 showsy a rearside elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the signaling device as shown in Fig. v1 applied to the door glass, the signaling arm being in an extended signaling position;

Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view 55 through the signaling device partly broken away, on an enlarged scale and talren on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the pointer of which is shown in a depending normal inoperative position; 6

Fig. 4: shows an outside elevational view of the signaling means, also on an enlarged scale, as seen in Fig. 1 and from the left of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 shows a of the attachable rubber pieces used upon the spring attaching member of the indicator. Referring in detail to the characters vof reference marked upon the drawing, 8 represents the cab or housing of an automobile and 9 the left side door thereof, adjacent to the drivers seat, which carries a vertical movable glass 10. 11 represents a frame or housing member which is bent up from sheet metal to form an elongated channel that is supported in a vertical position against the outside of the vertically adjustable glass 10 that forms a member of the door of an automobile. A suitable fiat bent spring steel strip 12 is riveted as at 13-13, or otherwise secured 80 to the back of the channel frame member 11 and has its outer yieldable spring end portion, in part, disposed in parallel spaced relation to the inside of the glass 10 and its remaining free end portion 14 bent around 85 in substantially the manner illustrated in Fig.

2 and provides a yieldable means of removability in attaching the signaling device to the glass.

Suitable pads 15, 16 and 17 are provided 90 intermediate of the frame member 11, the spring attaching member 12 and the glass 10; the first mentioned pad 15 being located against the lower side portion of the back of the frame, and preferably attached by having its free ends 18 disposed in cross slots 19 in the back of the frame in a way to secure the pad tothe frame, and the free ends 18 forming'silent bumpers for the pointer arm n 22 when dropped. The pad 16 which is ar- 100 detached plan view of one 65 i ranged in the bend at the top of the spring member 12 is positioned against the inside of said bend so as to rest between said bend and the top edge of the glass. This pad is preferably made of soft rubber, and like the pad 17 is out and shaped for attachment tothe spring substantially as shown in Fig. 5, being provided with transverse slots 21 whereby said pads may be threaded on the spring member and positioned as shown in the drawing; rThe v'use of 'these lp'tds iobviously insures not only a iirm engagement of the signaling device with the glass, but preivents rattling, displacement and scratching of the glass.

VA signaling arm 22 is hingedly mounted as at 2.3 v between the two parallel side .pon tionsotthe channel frame andis adapted to be raised from the depending position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and l to either position shown Ain full lines in Fig. 2 or vdotted lines shown in Fig. 3, the first of which to automobile drivers indicates a left turn and the second position a right turn or stop, as is customary with the hand. This signaling arm. is pre` ferably -ormedof a single piece ofsheet metal that is. stamped out tofreceive one or "more redlglass reliectors l24 whichja're readily seen from the rear, when the light of an aproaohf ing Vhead light is thrown thereagainst. lf two vglasses are used they would be in alignment, "as shown, whereas if but one visemploy ed, it would preferably be of -an elongated 'shapeand disposed longitudinally of the arm. rlhe inner supperti-ng end portion of vthis farm is bent out, across and ret-urned to form parallel spaced apart side members 25 and26, that operativelyfiit between the sides of 'the channel iframe-11.

The member 26 forms yielda-ble .part which is provided with a small hole-27 upon 'one side that is adapted '-to'e-ngage .a bos's28 in the frame 11 to support the-arm in a right ang-le posit-ion, and fromjwhich position it v'can be further vraised hto the 1positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, y'and wherein vsaid arm -is also shown in engagement -with the stop-29 jfo'rmed in the top of the Vframe member, and-against which 'the 'arm rests when raised. rlhese Atwo side members v25 and l26 are Vpro-vided with -holes that align `with Ythose ofthe side members of the-frame 11 and together with "said holes in ther-side `members serve to receive the pivotal bolt 23 uponwhich th'earm is vpivoted.

YAs a means ofl operating the arm against gravity, I provide a chain 31;one en d of whichis connectedto thel arm-22 at 32 and the other Aend to ya hole -33 in the'- end portion 14 of thefsteel spring member 12 said chain-extending from the-point of attaehmentfat 32 over and in engagement with ithe'edge 34 of the cross member 35 of the-farm22, andflilre- -wise over thefuppfer ben-t iper-tion 20,of the spring member 12, being guided thereon "t'il `the l'ehaii'i becomes disengaged from the edge 3ft of the arm, whereupon the pull of the chain 'becomes 'direct at the point of attaehment 320i the arm and wherebyit` eanbe earri'ed-up to either aliorizontal or to the further raised verticahposition. In this connectionit willbe-understood that the engagement with the :hole27 carried by the member 26, by the boss 28 in the side oi the Aframe 11, is a yield'f 1' able v`.frictional engagement so that'the 'um 4 ar 1fbereadily moved outofiengagement with thevboss, whereby with theoomplete release of the chain the arm will dro y as by ravityto the depending position. Vshile `I ave referredto themember l31 asa chain, etit will be understood that a 'cord or Itheli e canbe used as well. v

, Having 'thus' described m invention what I .claim and desire to secure y ILetters Patent 1s:

1, An yautomobile signaling device comprising a frame member havin "opposed side portions, a. loo ed spring mem ersecured to the backof sail` the outside, over the top .and down -the inside of a window glass, cushioning members carried byY theinframe and spring 'to engage the top edgeand opposite side ,portions of the 5lg`lass ,an arxnfhingedly.k mounted between the said opposed side portions ofthe'frame adapted to -,be swung `:trom ra depending to hori- Zonta'land vertical positions,.a chain .connected'to thearm andexten'ded up over Ythe top and'attac'he'd to .thelfree end of the spring.

"2, An(automobile rsignaling .device oomprising aframe'member having'opposed side portions, alooped springxmenib'er attached to the baclrof said Aframe adapted to'extend up the outside, overthev topA and down the'inside oitafwindow glass, cushioning 'members carriedjjby'thefrramesn spring'to engage the 'topedge'andolposite side'portionsofthe glass. fan varmv hinge ly'Jmoun-ted between the vsaid -opposed"sideportionsof the frame adaptedv to 'beswungffroma'depending-tohorizontal-and verticalpositions, -a vchain connected -to 'the arm "andJestemmdL iup Iover ithe loop of the fspringandimeansicarried by=the11oopend of the springtoguide the? chainI thereover-in its movement operating'ithefarm.

3. automobile signalingdevice comprising a frame member having opposed side. portions, a looped-spring member attached tosaid lframe adapted to extend up Ill-20 frame adapted to extend up the outside, over the top and down the inside of a wlndow glass, cushioning members carried by the frame and spring to engage the top edge and opposite side portions of the glass, an arm hingedly connected to the frame and having parallel pivotal end portions adapted to be swung from a depending to horizontal and vertical positions, a chain connected to a portion ofthe arm and extended up over the loop of the spring.

4C. An automobile signaling device comprising a frame member having opposed side portions, Va looped spring member attached to the back of said frame adapted'to extend up the outside, over the top and down the inside of a window glass, cushioning members carried by the frame and spring to engage the top edge and opposite side portions of the glass, an arm hingedly mounted between the said opposed side portions of the frame adapted to be swung from a depending to horizontal and vertical positions, a chain connected with the arm forward of its pivot and so arranged as to first engage the arm above its pivot to insure its preliminary movements, and then forward of the pivot to insure further and final movement.

5. An automobile signaling device comprising a frame member having opposed side portions, a looped spring member attached to the back of said frame adapted to extend up the outside, over the top and down the inside of a window glass, cushioning members carried by the frame and spring to engage the top edge and opposite side portions of the glass, an arm hingedly mounted between the said opposed side portions of the frame adapted to be swung from a depending to a horizontal and vertical position, the said frame including a stop across its upper end against which the arm abuts to limit its upward movement, and detent means intermediate the arm and frame whereby the movement of the arm is temporarily arrested during its swinging movements.

6. An automobile signaling device comprising a frame member having opposed side portions, a looped spring member attached to the back of said frame adapted to extend up the outside, over the top and down the inside of a window glass, cushioning members carried by the frame and spring to engage the top edge Vand opposite sideportions of the glass, an arm hingedly mounted between the said opposed side portions of the frame adapted to be swung from a depending to horizontaland vertical positions, the said arm including a reiiecting means, and a chain connected to the arm and extended up over the loop of the spring.

Signed at Bridgeport in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut this 28th day of January, A. D. 1932.

ARTHUR W, REYNOLDS. 

